Patrick Scanlan

The Rescue Boat That Defied Confederate Cannon Fire

Patrick Scanlan was an Irish-born Union Army soldier whose extraordinary courage during the American Civil War earned him the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration for valor. On May 24, 1864, while serving as a private in Company A of the 4th Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry, Scanlan volunteered for a dangerous rescue mission on the Ashepoo River in South Carolina. Under heavy Confederate artillery fire, he helped evacuate Union soldiers trapped aboard the grounded transport steamer Boston. His willingness to risk his life for fellow soldiers distinguished him during one of the war's remarkable river rescue operations.

Born around 1838 in Ireland, Patrick Scanlan eventually immigrated to the United States. The surviving historical records provide little information about his childhood, family background, education, or early occupation. By the time he entered military service, he was associated with Spencer, Massachusetts, a community that became his officially recorded place of enlistment accreditation.

When the American Civil War began in April 1861, thousands of immigrants joined the Union Army. Irish-born soldiers formed an important part of the Federal military effort, serving in infantry, cavalry, and artillery units throughout the conflict.

Scanlan became a member of Company A of the 4th Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry, a regiment organized during the winter of 1863–1864. The regiment was formed to provide mounted troops for Union operations and was subsequently assigned to different military commands according to the needs of the Army.

The regiment's Second Battalion, which included Company A, departed Boston for South Carolina in March 1864. It arrived at Hilton Head on April 1 and began performing military duties in the Department of the South.

Union forces in coastal South Carolina operated from important bases such as Hilton Head Island and Beaufort. These positions allowed Federal troops to conduct expeditions against Confederate transportation routes, support naval operations, and threaten military communications connecting Charleston and Savannah.

In May 1864, Union commanders organized an expedition along the Ashepoo River, a tidal waterway flowing through the coastal lowlands of South Carolina. The mission aimed to destroy a railroad trestle along the Confederate transportation network between Charleston and Savannah.

Brigadier General John Porter Hatch directed the operation, which involved soldiers from the 34th United States Colored Infantry and the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry. Approximately 400 Union soldiers and 80 horses were transported aboard the steamer Boston, a side-wheel vessel adapted for military transportation.

On May 24, 1864, the Boston approached the intended landing area near Mosquito Inlet. The river presented serious navigational difficulties, including shallow water, submerged obstacles, and oyster beds.

Before reaching its destination, the steamer ran aground on an oyster bed approximately 300 yards from a Confederate defensive position known as Chapman's Fort. Unable to free itself, the transport remained stranded within range of Confederate artillery.

The situation quickly became dangerous. Confederate forces recognized the steamer's vulnerability and opened fire from their nearby battery. Artillery shells began striking the vessel, threatening the hundreds of Union soldiers trapped aboard.

The Boston possessed only a small rowboat suitable for transferring men away from the stranded vessel. As the bombardment intensified, the possibility of evacuating the entire force became increasingly uncertain.

Second Lieutenant George Washington Brush of Company B, 34th United States Colored Infantry, initially used the small boat to transfer a group of cavalrymen to a nearby Union gunboat. While this movement was underway, Confederate artillery began striking the Boston with increasing accuracy.

As the situation deteriorated, soldiers aboard the steamer faced the danger of being killed by artillery fire or drowning while attempting to escape. Some men jumped into the river, including soldiers who could not swim.

Recognizing the urgent need for assistance, Brush called for volunteers to return to the stranded transport and rescue those still aboard.

Four cavalrymen immediately joined him: William Downey, John Duffey, David L. Gifford, and Patrick Scanlan. All four belonged to the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry and willingly undertook the hazardous mission despite the continuing Confederate bombardment.

Scanlan and his companions boarded the small rescue boat and began moving back toward the grounded steamer. Their task required them to approach a vessel under direct artillery fire, take aboard as many stranded soldiers as the boat could safely carry, and transport them to shore.

The Confederate gunners continued firing as the rescue party approached. Enemy fire threatened both the steamer and the smaller craft, while the danger increased whenever frightened soldiers attempted to climb into the boat.

Contemporary accounts describe the difficulty of controlling the overcrowded rescue craft. At times, desperate men attempting to board nearly overturned it, placing the passengers and rescuers in further danger.

Under Brush's direction, the volunteers continued their work. After taking soldiers aboard, they carried them to safety, unloaded their passengers, and returned to the Boston for another group.

The rescue required repeated journeys across the exposed water. Each return trip brought Scanlan and his companions back within range of Confederate artillery, where a direct hit or capsizing could have proved fatal.

Despite these dangers, the volunteers continued evacuating the stranded troops. Historical accounts describe the boat carrying groups of approximately thirty men to shore and making several trips until the remaining soldiers had been removed from the vessel.

Scanlan's participation was especially significant because the rescue was not part of an ordinary cavalry assignment. Although trained and organized as an Army cavalryman, he volunteered for a hazardous operation on the water that required cooperation, endurance, and a willingness to face enemy fire to save others.

The official Medal of Honor citation later recognized that Scanlan had voluntarily served as a member of the rescue boat crew and had assisted in bringing a large number of Union soldiers safely ashore while exposed throughout the operation to heavy Confederate artillery fire.

The evacuation came at a considerable cost. Confederate artillery and small-arms fire caused Union casualties during the engagement, with historical accounts recording thirteen men killed. The steamer itself suffered extensive damage from the bombardment.

Once the evacuation was completed, the Boston was set on fire to prevent its capture and use by Confederate forces. The Union expedition was forced to abandon its original objective, leaving the targeted railroad trestle intact.

Although the military mission failed, the rescue prevented many additional casualties among the soldiers trapped aboard the transport. The courageous actions of the small boat crew became the most distinguished individual achievements associated with the operation.

The five volunteers who carried out the rescue eventually received the Medal of Honor. In addition to Patrick Scanlan, the recipients were Second Lieutenant George Washington Brush and Privates William Downey, John Duffey, and David L. Gifford.

Their recognition reflected the exceptional danger of returning repeatedly to a grounded vessel under Confederate fire. Rather than withdrawing once they had reached relative safety, the volunteers chose to continue the rescue until the endangered soldiers had been evacuated.

Following the Ashepoo River expedition, the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry continued its military service in the Department of the South. Its subsequent operations included duties along the South Carolina coast and participation in campaigns associated with the closing stages of the Civil War.

Scanlan's surviving military service index records that he entered service as a private and later attained the rank of sergeant. The precise date of his promotion has not been independently established, but the record confirms his advancement beyond the rank he held during the rescue operation.

More than thirty-two years after the events on the Ashepoo River, Scanlan received national recognition for his courage. On January 21, 1897, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions aboard the rescue boat on May 24, 1864.

The Medal of Honor had been established during the Civil War to recognize exceptional military conduct. Congress authorized the Army decoration in 1862, creating a national award for soldiers whose actions demonstrated extraordinary bravery.

Scanlan's award was especially notable because it recognized a lifesaving operation rather than a conventional cavalry charge or infantry assault. His courage was demonstrated through repeated attempts to rescue endangered comrades while Confederate artillery continued firing.

The decoration permanently connected his name with the four other volunteers whose actions helped save the men aboard the Boston.

Details of Scanlan's civilian life following his military service remain limited. The available records do not establish a complete account of his postwar occupation, marriage, or family relationships. His later life was associated with Connecticut, where he spent his final years.

Patrick Scanlan died on September 5, 1903, in Farmington, Connecticut, at approximately sixty-five years of age. He was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Connecticut. His military gravestone record identifies him under the alternative spelling Patrick Scanlon and commemorates his service with Company A of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry.

Scanlan's legacy rests upon his willingness to place the lives of fellow soldiers above his own safety during the Ashepoo River rescue. When the stranded Boston came under Confederate artillery fire, he volunteered to return to the endangered vessel and continued helping transport soldiers to safety despite the extraordinary danger.

From his beginnings in Ireland to his distinguished service in the Union Army, Patrick Scanlan's story reflects the contribution of immigrant soldiers to the preservation of the United States. His actions on May 24, 1864, earned him the Medal of Honor and secured his place among the remarkable rescuers of the American Civil War.

His courage remains an enduring reminder that military heroism is measured not only by victories in battle, but also by the willingness to risk one's life to save others.